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Stigmatica
Gethsemani The Gethsemani are not a traditional Bloodline. While the original Gethsemani were Nosferatu, and their childer may still inherit the Bloodline as usual, any pure-clan member of the Lancea et Sanctum can become one of the Penitent by submitting to the Rite of Resurrection, regardless of their parent clan. Thereafter they gain access to Stigmatica. 'Bloodline Bane: the Penitent Curse' The Gethsemani believe sanctity is the only path to salvation, and live in fear that their own devotion may waver. They are wracked by fear of impurity, which ironically further savages their humanity. Instead of preventing Banes do not prevent humanity loss in Gethsemani, instead a bane adds two additional dice to its associated degeneration roll. 'Stigmatica' Stigmatica rests halfway between discipline and ritual, while a little coil thrown in for good measure. Though it is structured in a five dot scale, Stigmatica dots may be purchased in any order, with the total number of dots deciding its discipline rating (maximum 5). All Stigmatica powers rely on the Theban Rite Consecrate the Vessel, therefore almost all Gethsemani have at least one dot in Theban Sorcery. Note: All discipline dots trigger simultaneously. So a character with Strength of Mind, Heart and Body who drinks one point of consecrated Vitae would gain three attribute dots, one mental, one physical, and one social. '•+ Strength of Body' Purified blood provides more than just Vitae, it is charged with divinity and with each drop of blood that divinity permeates the Gethsemani, driving her dead form to new heights of power. Each point of Vitae gained from a consecrated vessel also provides a temporary dot of Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina (vampire's choice). Up to Stigmatica physical attribute dots may be provided in this manner. Enhanced physical attribute dots decay at a rate of one dot every morning. The player chooses which dot is lost. '•+ Strength of Conviction' Gethsemani draw not only lifeforce from vessels, but faith and conviction as well. In addition to Vitae, each point of lethal damage also drains one point of the consecrated vessel's temporary Willpower, which passes to the Gethsemani. This can allow her to breach her normal Willpower by up to Stigmatica points. Temporary Willpower over her normal cap lasts one night before dissipating, or until it is spent. '•+ Strength of Heart' Certain in her purity a Gethsemani exudes confidence and charisma. Each point of Vitae gained from a consecrated vessel also provides a temporary dot of Presence, Manipulation, or Composure (vampire's choice). Up to Stigmatica social attribute dots may be provided in this manner. Enhanced social attribute dots decay at a rate of one dot every morning. The player chooses which dot is lost. '•+ Strength of Mind' With God in her veins the Gethsemani needn’t muddle her mind with fear or uncertainty. Each point of Vitae gained from a consecrated vessel also provides a temporary dot of Intelligence, Wits, or Resolve (vampire's choice). Up to Stigmatica mental attribute dots may be provided in this manner. Enhanced mental attribute dots decay at a rate of one dot every morning. The player chooses which dot is lost. '•+ Strength of Soul' Transformed by God the Gethsemani’s natural prowess becomes magnified and empowered, such that all others will know her might. Each point of Vitae gained from a consecrated vessel increases the Gethsemani's effective Blood Potency by one dot, up to Stigmatica dots. This improves her Kindred Senses, Predatory Aura, Blood Sympathy and any Contested resistance rolls, but does not restrict her feeding, speed damage from sunlight, increase torpor duration, or improve Vitae capacity and expenditure rates. Enhanced Blood Potency dots decay at a rate of one dot each morning. 'Rituals' Note: Though they are Theban Rites, Gethsemani miracles require no Sacrifice. Rather, the suffering if the vessel more than accounts for any sacrifice required. They do still require the usual point of Willpower to be spent. 'Consecrate the Vessel •' Target Number of Successes: 1 Per Vitae This Rite requires a mundane human, devout and willing to be become a vessel for Gethsemani magic. The Gethsemani casts deep cuts open on the subject's wrists, ankles, forehead and chest, mirroring those of Christ during the crucifiction. The vessel bleeds consecrated vitae, taking one damage per success*. To most kindred there is no difference between consecrated Vitae and normal Vitae, but to the Gethsemani they are utterly different. The simple act of consuming Consecrated Vitae fuels the Gethsemani discipline, Stigmatica. No other Vitae can substitute. Storytellers should recall that on an Exceptional Success extra successes on a roll are applied to it’s spell factors, making it possible to inadvertently exsanguinate a vessel by casting too successfully. If exsanguinated roll a chance die, if successful the Vessel rises as a revenant within 48 hours. 'Touch of Life •• ' Target Number of Successes: 1 per lethal damage, 2 per aggravated damage While a Gethsemani will only reap the benefits of Consecrated Vitae for a few days, vessels feel the cost for weeks at a time. A Gethsemani truly cannot undo the pain she has caused, but she can accelerate the recovery. This rite only works on a Consecrated Vessel, and only in the scene in which he was consecrated. The vessel gains the Fast Healing merit. He retains this merit until all damage he suffered from Consecrate the Vessel heals completely. If he already has the Fast Healing merit its effects are doubled, effectively quadrupling his recovery rate. This Rite cannot be stacked repeatedly for hyper-fast healing. 'Grace to the Faithful •••' Target Number of Successes: 5 A Vessel risks his life with each offering. The surest way to ensure his survival would be to make him into a Ghoul (providing him healing abilities an access to Resilience), yet it is the great tragedy that to do so would bind the Vessel the the Gethsemani, and steal his love from God. However, with this Miracle the Gethsemani can bestow that blessing, creating a Ghoul beholden to none who may still act as a vessel for the divine. The Gethsemani performs the rite of consecration as usual, but instead of consuming the vitae herself, she feeds it back to the vessel. Then she casts this spell. If all goes well the vessel is transformed, becoming a ghoul. So long as he consumes only concecrated Vitae he may continue to serve as a vessel despite his supernatural nature. Renewing this state can be done only through Grace to the Faithful, though the vessel needn't consume Vitae while doing so. 'Taste of Divinity ••••' Target Number of Successes: 6 Only the Gethsemani will be saved, no other dead can hope for redemption, but with a little magic they experience the glories of sanctity. To do so she must perform Consecrate the Vessel, but instead of drinking the Vitae herself she captures it in a cup or basin and casts this spell. When fed to another kindred this Vitae confers the effects of one of the Gethsemani’s Stigmatica powers, at a dot level equivalent to her own. 'Rite of Resurrection •••••' Target Number of Successes: 15 (-1 for each day the subject was bound and starved) Before this Miracle may be cast, it’s subject must submit himself to a series of tortures. He must be bound and restrained, pierced through the chest, ankles, wrists and forehead, then crucified and forced to slowly exsanguinate until he falls into torpor from starvation. He must do all of this willingly, and put up no resistance to the acts (Frenzy doesn’t count, but can make the process difficult). Once the subject is torpid he is removed from the cross, cleaned, and christened with consecrated Vitae. Only then may this Rite be cast. Two days after the rite is performed the subject rises again, completely restored, as a member of the Gethsemani Bloodline. 'Source' The original version of the Gethsemani can be found in Bloodlines: the Hidden, p48. All credit for the Blood & Smoke revision goes to PenDragon. Category:Unique Disciplines Category:Bloodlines Category:Translations Category:Lancea Sanctum Category:Nosferatu Category:Gethsemani